Radio Sweden Thursday

In today’s program: Corruption and arms sales and the annual explosion of poisonous chemicals from summer-heated blooming algae floating in the waters off the Swedish east coast.

We’ll also hear another salute in this 100th birthday year of world-famous Swedish author of children’s books, Astrid Lindgren – the creator of such characters as that freckled, pig-tailed and powerful little tomboy, Pippi Longstocking.

The now annual appearance of vast swathes of algae along the Swedish coast, caused by agricultural run-off from countries around the Baltic Sea, is emerging again. As Mark Cummins’ reports, the authorities are warning that this year could see a record amount of the green gundge choking Sweden’s normally clear coastal waters:

In their most recent Bribe Payers Index, the anti-corruption organisation Transparency International rated Sweden as being the second least corrupted country in the world, only behind Switzerland. But recent allegations surrounding an arms deal in the Czech Republic have shown that Sweden might not be as squeaky clean as people might think. Our reporter Tom McAlinden went along to a recent seminar in Stockholm on ethics and corruption issues surrounding Swedish and international arms deals:

In the small town of Vimmerby, in the province of Småland is one Sweden’s largest attractions, a theme park dedicated to works of Astrid Lindgren, the famous children’s writer and creator of Pippi Longstocking. This is a special summer in Vimmerby, marking 100 years since Astrid Lindgren’s birth. Speaking with Radio Sweden’s Juan Navas, the theme park’s Nils-Magnus Angantyr explains: